Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Kirk-o on January 07, 2006, 09:06:39 pm

Title: Whats up with this?
Post by: Kirk-o on January 07, 2006, 09:06:39 pm

I was looking at my bees today and the dark feral bees I have look smaller than my Italian bes could that be possible?
kirko

Title: Whats up with this?
Post by: stilllearning on January 07, 2006, 10:23:19 pm

Yes it is possible.  Really it is probable with the Ferals
Read the posting by Michael Bush regarding Small Cell Bees
on this forum.  You probably have a good start with your ferals.

Title: Re: Whats up with this?
Post by: Finsky on January 08, 2006, 05:02:09 am

Quote from: Kirk-o

I was looking at my bees today and the dark feral bees I have look smaller than my Italian bes could that be possible?
kirko

They are many even if you buy Italian queens. Some are big and some small. It means nothing.

Title: Whats up with this?
Post by: Michael Bush on January 08, 2006, 10:43:45 am

There are two reasons you see a variety of sizes in one beehive.  One is that young bees are smaller.  They fill out a bit in their first couple of weeks.  Another is that the bees still cheat sometimes, even with foundation and build some variety of cell sizes.  The other may just be genetic.  In a small cell hive you'll find a lot of much smaller bees an few that are larger.  Also, if you use natural comb you'll have even more variety of size.

http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/table.htm
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/abjgrout1936.htm
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/bwjan1934.htm
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/bwapr1933.htm
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/grout/index.htm